Many heavy duty trucks include a sleeper cab that provides a driver with a space in which to rest and sleep during regulated hours of service. Such sleeper cabs commonly include household appliances such as televisions, refrigerators, microwave ovens, and heating/air conditioning systems for use by the driver during a typical 10 hour rest period. Each of the appliances require a power source to function and therefore require the driver to provide ample electricity if any of the appliances are to be used.
Generally speaking, a driver can supply power to cab appliances from three sources. A first power supply is provided through operation of a truck engine such that electrical power is generated via an alternator/battery arrangement. Second, an auxiliary power generator or an auxiliary battery bank with an inverter may be used to power the appliances directly. Finally, the driver can supply power to the truck cab by connecting the cab to an external power source.
While connecting appliances such as a heater, refrigerator, or television set directly to a truck battery will certainly provide such appliances with a requisite energy supply, doing so will quickly drain the truck battery. Draining the truck battery is obviously not a viable option as the battery is required to start the truck. Furthermore, powering such appliances from a running truck engine is similarly impracticable. In many states, heavy duty truck engines must be turned off within 3 to 5 minutes once the truck begins to idle (i.e., the engine is running, but the truck is at rest). Most laws penalize drivers who allow their truck engines to continue operation after the 5 minute threshold by imposing large fines and other penalties. Therefore, running a truck engine over an extended period of time to power cab appliances is not a viable option for the truck driver.
Due to the limitations of conventional truck electrical systems and the recent enactment of laws restricting idling time of truck engines in most states, an external power source is a viable option for a truck driver. Thankfully, most states either are starting to provide, or already do provide, such external power sources at truck stops across the country. Therefore, the remaining challenge for the driver is simply connecting the truck cab to the power source.
Most power sources are disposed adjacent to truck parking spaces such that a driver can connect the truck cab to the power source by using an extension cord in order to provide a constant supply of electricity to the cab. Once the extension cord is firmly attached to the power source, the driver connects the other end of the cord into a receptacle mounted to the truck cab to thereby supply the truck cab with electricity.
Conventional extension cords adequately provide the truck driver with the ability to temporarily connect an external power source to a truck cab. However, the length of a typical rest period, combined with the frequency of such stops, results in some truck drivers forgetting to disconnect the extension cord from the external power source prior to pulling out of the parking stop. Due to the large electrical capacity of such extension cords (generally capable of connecting to a 120 VAC grid), the connection at both the external power source and at the truck cab is often very secure to prevent against an inadvertent disconnection at either location. The secure connections, while safely connecting the truck cab to the external power source, do not allow for the cord to be easily pulled from either the truck cab or the power source when a driver inadvertently pulls out from a parking space with the extension cord still attached. The result of such an occurrence is damage to either, or both of, the truck cab and the external power source connection points.
While conventional extension cords adequately provide a truck driver with the ability to supply a constant supply of electricity to a truck cab by connecting the truck cab to an external power source, conventional extension cords suffer from the disadvantage of causing damage to either or both of the truck cab and the external power source if a driver pulls out of a parking space prior to disconnecting the extension cord from the power source and truck cab.
Therefore, an extension cord incorporating a breakable connector that allows for safe disconnection of power between the truck cab and power source in the event that the truck cab is driven from a parking space with the extension cord still attached at both the truck cab and the power source is desirable in the industry.